We need to consider the consequences of criminalizing bullying [Letter]

I am watching with interest the drum beat to criminalize bullying. It's already illegal and it's call harassment. Like so many things that sound good at first glance, has anyone stopped to consider the chilling effect on freedom of speech? Additionally, and maybe the most scary, is that teachers and administrators will likely be on the front line of deciding whether or not a person is bullying someone else. These are the same people who just suspended and second grader for chewing his pop tart into a politically incorrect form, or maybe just the state of MD? I understand the urge to "do something" but we should take a step back from this bad idea to consider it's consequences beyond stage one thinking